Want to rent but husband doesn't

[ThisSucks]

Hi I hope someone out there can advise me on what to do!! My DH and I are moving to my home town next year, as my DD is due to start school and i want her to go to school there. He has found a house he likes, and wants to buy it. However, we have NO deposit, although I have been offered a loan for the amount (to be repaid over five years). Co-ownership is also an option.

My problem is that I think the house is too small...we have three young children and the house is around 1000 sq ft. Furthermore, my uncle has left me his house - he has the day of it so lives there until he dies (he is 87) then it comes to me. It is a beautiful house in the countryside just outside my home town. So I think buying this house and getting into debt with the loan (the house will also need a new bathroom and possibly kitchen) when we will have a house sooner rather than later is a bit silly.

Also, my cousins have a GORGEOUS house near my uncle's house, that they are willing to rent to us for as long as we need. It is a farmhouse with nothing but fields around it and is twice the size of the house my DH wants to buy. My cousins are really decent people and won't screw us over - they would also let us make various little changes so it could be like our home rather than feeling like a rental.

I would be very grateful for any opinions or advice. I am not sure how to tell my DH how I feel as he seems to have his heart set on buying this house.

I'd go for the rental and then uncle's house. The rental sounds beautiful, and why squeeze into a 1000 sq ft house when it is such a poor second to the rental?

Rent. I did for 30 years. We rented the houses we needed and exactly where we needed them and no debt. Why buy something that is unsuitable?

We bought our retirement home this year. You already have a home that will be left to you. Therefore you don't ever need to buy another.

Owning a home is a heck of a lot more expensive than renting if you are only planning to be in a place for the short term. The only caveat is that renting from relatives might cause its own problems.

Thanks so much for your help, Hansie and More. My cousins are two brothers - they both live hundreds of miles away and are very close to my dad, so I think it will be ok. They grew up in this house and bought a new house for their parents closer to town, and now rent out the house. A few weeks ago their tenants just upped and left, and apparently trashed the place, so they are doing it up all lovely again and are keen for me and DH to move in as they know us.

It would be a dream for me...it is close to the little country school I would like DD to attend, and close to my parents and has breathtaking views of the mountains. But DH seems to have his heart set on buying this house.

I know if we got this house we would be in serious debt with solicitor fees, repaying the loan, buying new furniture....plus my contract at work ends in February and I just don't know what my work situation will be after that.

It seems pretty obvious doesn't it that buying this house would be asking for trouble. I just hope DH isn't too sad. :(

He just said he is happy to rent!! Just out of the blue like that...he said if it meant putting my mind at ease and not being worried about money then he was fully on board with renting. He said it was 'the most sensible thing to do'.

You both were concerned about the other=happy outcome! ; )

That's good. Sounds like you are going to rent a lovely house from a good landlord so I suspect he could see it made a lot more sense than stretching to buy a house that wasn't ideal.

:) yup Hansie...a very nice outcome. My dad was just on the phone there - he is going to ring my cousin on Monday and get things going. Yes More it definitely is a lovely house with lots of outbuildings, a massive garden and even a treehouse! I was having sleepless nights worrying about our money situation but we can definitely afford renting so I will get a good sleep tonight wahey! Thanks so much to you both for helping me!